An Amazon's Land.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 115, 15 August 1885, Page 6

An Amazon's Land.

At Porfc Moresby I had heard of a woman 1 ! land,a land where only women— perfect Amazons—lived and ruled. These ladies were reported to be excellent tillers of the soil f splendid canoeists in sailing or paddling, and quite able to hold their, own, against.-at-tacks of the sterner sex, who' sometimes tried to invade their country. At the east end they knew nothing of this woman's land, and nowhere east of Hulla have I eyer heard it spoken of. To, find so interesting a community > was one , of great moment, and everywhere , 'we went we inquired, but only to be laughed at by the natives; sometimes askedby them, " How do they continue to exist ?" !But that, too, puzzled us. As no part of tnecdaat from East Cape to Port Mot esby would J>e left unvisited by us, we were certain to come across tbe Amazonian settlement,; and when we did it would be useful to keep a sharp lookout, as I have noticed that the instigators of nearly all quarrels are the women. I have seen at South Cape, when the men were inclined to remain quiet, the women rush out and, as if filled, with devils, incite them. In the early morn* ing we were off the island and toon ready to land. On crossing the reef we met two canoec, one with men, and the other with women. We signed them to go to the vessel whilst we pulled up to the large villages on the north side. As the, boat touched the fine, hard, sandy beach a man, the only being in sight, ran down and stood in front. .1 went forward to spring a. '•ore, but he said I must not. Finding that he knew the DanDai dialect, I said to him I must land ; that 1 was a friend and gave him my name' which he already knew from the East. I gave him a strip of red cloth and stepped ashore, when he ran away into the bush. At our first approach I could only see this one man ; but now I saw hundreds of grass petticoats on women standing under the houses. I could not see the upper paits of their bodies, only the petticoats and feet. They were, indeed, quiet until I advanced nearer, when one wild scream was given, that would try stronger nerves than mine, and signs to keep away. It required more inquiaitiveness than I possessed to proceed. I retired a few paces, warning the boat's crew to keep a good lookout, and especially fro xx the bush end of the village where the man ran to. 1 invite the dusky damsels to come to me, if they objected to my visiting them ; but no ! I must return whence I came ; they had seen me, that was enough. "No, my friend, we must meet, and you will have some presents. " I he! lup my beads and red cloth ; but strange to say, they seemed to have no effect on that strange crowd. I never saw so many women together. How W6re we to meet ? was not the question. To be bulked by them would never do I threw upon the beach a piece of red cloth and a few beads, and walked away quite carelessly, and apparently nofc noticing what was taking place. A girl steals out from tho crowd, stops, turns, eyes fixed on me,advanceB,stops,crosBesherhands, pressing her breaa* . Poor thing, not courage enough ; so, ligutning speed, back. It is evident the old ladies object to the younger ones attempting, and they are themselves too frightened. Another joung damsel about nine or ten years old comes out, runs, halts, walks catlike, lest the touch of her feet on the sand should waken me from my reverie ; another, halt, holds her chest, lest the spirit should take ita flight or the pattering heart jump right out. I tear it was beyond the slight patter then, and had reached the stentorian thump of serious times. On ; a rush ; well done ! She picks the cloth and beads up. I have gained my point, and will soon have the crowds— no need to wait so long to have the baits picked up now, and, after a. tew more such temptings, it is done. lam besieged by the noisiest crowd I have ever met, and am truly glad to escape on board the boat. — '• Adventures in New Guinea."